


Count The Stars

by Evieangelion



Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Drama, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/M, Harem fic, Intrigue, MC is a bamf, Original Character(s), Rating will change, Thanos has a Harem, Thanos is an asshole
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:27:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26234140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evieangelion/pseuds/Evieangelion
Summary: Xyra of Andorei Prime, that was who she was. It was who she had been for nearly fifteen years of her life. But everything changed when the peaceful world she had called home was attacked by a monster from the deepest parts of the galaxy. And when she fights back, he takes an interest.
Relationships: Corvus Glaive/Proxima Midnight, Thanos (Marvel)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 22





	1. Planetfall

“Xyra! Xyra we have to hide!” 

A dark skinned woman dressed in shades of blue and gold looked up quickly from the scroll she was studying. Suddenly, with little warning, the entire room shook and shuddered, a loud but muted bang coming from the outside. 

The datapad in her hand clattered to the countertop when the room shook, a bit of debris and dust coming loose from the ceiling. 

“What’s going on!” She demanded, rolling up the scroll with careful but efficient movements. 

“An Armara, entering the atmosphere!” The man exclaimed, dashing around countertops and tables. He was tall, easily seven feet, with blue skin and complex facial markings. His expression was panicked, fearful when he finally reached her, grasping her shoulders tightly. “There is no time! We must- We must go now!”

Her brows hit her forehead, “Where will we go? Who is invading? Andorei has no enemies!” she shook her head, wide eyed as he shook her.

“Xyra! We have to go now!” he said, looking down at her with terror written into every dark blue marking on his face. 

Another loud band echoed from the outside, something had entered the atmosphere of Andorei Prime. And, from the way it had echoed, heavy and foreboding, it was something very large indeed.

“Is it the Kree? The Abalonians?” Xyra’s voice trembled as she was rushed from the workroom and into the hallway. She looked to her adoptive father as he shook his head quickly, his purple eyes filling with unshed tears of terror. 

Xyra swallowed her apprehension, frustration warring with fear, “Drasslar, who is it?”

Drasslar could say nothing, terror had frozen his throat shut. Instead, he turned her to the great windows that covered an entire wall of the hallway. Usually, Xyra would sit there on sunny days, going over her research with a fresh cup of Xandarian coffee and looking out over the sunny campus she was lucky enough to work at. 

Today, it was only horror that greeted her. The sky was full of war, Andorian ships being chased and destroyed by enemy fighters. Great beasts, covered in terrifying spiked armor, undulated in the air, flying towards the surface. At least twenty of them. And, at the center of it all, with its maw open like some sort of flying abomination was a gargantuan ship, darkening the sky and casting a massive shadow over the city. 

Blood rushed in her ears and her heart fell to her stomach when she heard Drasslar speak.

“Thanos.”

**Fifteen Years Ago**

**Planet C-53**

**Terra;Earth**

**1986**

Chel Aubery was unlike most girls her age. 

At her age, she had already travelled half the world with her cultural anthropologist father, Gene. What had they been following?

Universal Singularities. 

Her father had already been laughed out of nearly every academic and anthropological institution in the world for it, but that hadnt stopped him. If anything, it made him more determined. And, he passed that same attitude onto his daughter. 

And Chel believed him, she believed that there was once a culture of ancient humans that did in fact use one of these Singularities to advance their society. From the way her father talked, and he talked often, it was only a matter of time before he found the truth. In fact, they were on the trail now. 

Chel leaned her head against the glass of the car as they drove along a muddy back trail in the Peruvian jungle. It had only been three days since they had arrived in the country, but they had done nothing but travel in all that time. With them, in the passenger seat, was their guide and connection to the Asháninka people, Nija. 

“Are you okay, Chel?” Nija asked in accented english, concern etched on her face.

“She’s just fine, Nija,” came her father’s steady voice, “She just get carsick sometimes.”

Chel answered with a quiet groan and pressed her face further against the cool glass. While it was true that she did get carsick, it was more that she was tired of all the travelling with her father. She didn't hate it, no, that was far from the truth. But she was very tired of it. All she wanted these days, was to be a normal girl, to go to a school with other kids her age and maybe, just maybe meet a boy she liked without having to be worried about moving around with her dad. 

Of course he would just say she was being silly. That she was getting the best education the world could offer, and that she was still too young for boys. 

Yeah, she was too young...sure. But she was taller than him. 

As the car drove along, Chel looked out at the jungle all around them. Sparse sunlight filtered down through the trees and touched the ground, every shade of green reflected back at her in the foliage all around. At least the jungle was nice to look at. 

“Don't worry Chel, we’re almost there..” her father said reassuringly, glancing at her through the rearview mirror. 

Not that Chel actually saw that, she was too occupied with her thoughts and the way the car swayed and bumped along the road. 

After another ten minutes of driving, the car rolled to a stop in a wide clearing. Chel popped the door open and headed to the back of the truck to get started on unloading the few pieces of equipment that they had brought with them.

It was a field study that they were doing, so her and her father would be staying with the Asháninka people for a few months. While some would have been bothered by the concept of camping out with native peruvians for months at a time, no comforts of technology or the first world, Chel was very much used to it. She had been doing field studies with her father since she was nine years old. She spoke three languages (four now) and knew her father’s research and his methods almost as well as he did. 

They had prepared for the trip for nearly nine months, studying the Asháninka people, what was known about their culture and their language. Chel had spent many sleepless nights being quizzed by her father on Asháninka terms and vocabulary. 

And as fluent as she was, her father was better. 

Chel loved her dad, she aspired to be like him. She had never met anyone ever that was as focused or as driven or that loved their work more. Even when he was hovering around her like a fly as she lugged a heavier piece of equipment out of the car, warning her not to drop it like she hadnt been doing this for six years- she still loved him. 

“N-now Chel, be careful honey. That recording device was hard to come by!”

“Yeah dad, I know.” she said, setting the heavy box down gently near the rest of their things. They had travelled light, one personal bag each for them, to go along with the other pieces of equipment they had brought with them. Most of which, Chel would be carrying.

Gene, her father, smiled with excitement at her and started rambling on about the research they were doing to Nija. 

Chel rolled her eyes and hoisted the bags, set to start walking to their final destination. Her father, to his credit, didn't make her carry everything, he at least was holding his own bag. Chel just had to carry the recording device, the notes, and the bag with all their studies. Her father enjoyed treating her like his research assistant, all of the work, none of the pay- he liked to joke. 

Chel,used to it ever since she had overtaken him in height two years ago, hardly ever complained. And, though her back was starting to ache and the temperature and humidity made her entire body damp, she walked dutifully behind them through the dense jungle.

After nearly an hour of trekking through the jungle, they came to the beginnings of a village. Chel sighed with relief, her loose cotton top already drenched around the arms and neck. Her father, brimming with excitement, paused in his conversation with Nija to smile and greet every native that they passed. 

Nija turned to Chel, face awash with more concern. “Are you okay, Chel? Do you need help-?” she started to ask only for Gene to look over his shoulder and motion Nija forward.

“She’s fine Nija, can you help me with this translation? The books that we studied didn't totally prepare me for the native dialect.”

Chel gave the native woman a small thankful smile, hefting the recording device once again. Her shoulders ached. “Im fine Nija,” she said, “I think my dad needs you more actually.”

Nija motioned to another young girl who came bounding over. 

_“This is Maava, she’s about your age, follow her to where you and your father will be staying.”_ She said in Asháninka, _“Maava, this is Chel, you share the same age.”_

Chel tried for a polite smile at Maava, feeling relieved when it was returned. Though she dwarfed the other girl in height, it was nice to meet someone her own age. 

_“Hello, It is nice to meet you.”_ she said, frowning and looking to Nija when Maava giggled at her. 

“You and your father speak Asháninka very formally, with an accent. With time here, you’ll learn the idioms and dialect.”

Chel blushed as Nija explained, vowing to herself that she would try harder to learn the language better. 

“Nija!” her father called, now some feet away, still being dragged along. 

Nija grinned at them both, _“I’ll come back later with your father.”_

And then Chel and Maava were left to their own devices. Turning to Maava she smiled again, a little helplessly, and hefted all of their things. _“I follow you.”_ she said in Asháninka grumbling to herself when Maava smiled again, amused at her fumbling tongue over her language. 

Following her through the village, Chel was treated to some stares by the local people. She was used to it however, and tried to pay it no mind. This was a remote village, hardly ever interacted with by the outside world. She was pretty sure they had never really seen people like her and her father. And, as she walked, she realized she was the tallest person there, by miles. 

The Asháninka people were generous, Chel realized as Maava came to a stop before a medium sized hut. There was more than enough room for herself and her father, with a little extra space for their equipment. It was perfect. 

There were two pallets on the stamped dirt floor, but besides that it was sparse in the way of decoration. Chel wasn't even slightly bothered. Her father had dragged her to much, much worse places in his endless chase of the Singularities. 

Maava elected to wait outside as Chel entered the hut. She breathed a relieved sigh as she finally set down all their things. Knowing her father, he would want to get to work immediately. So she reached into the note bag and pulled out his journal. She also set about setting up the recording device, pulling out the video camera and assembling it. 

It was not much later that she heard him calling her voice, “Chel! Are you here?”

“Here, Dad!” she replied. Holding the notepad and the video camera, she exited the hut, finding him and Nija standing outside the hut. 

Her father brightened when he saw her with the camera and journal, “Perfect,” he said, taking the thick book from her and pulling out a pen from his shirt pocket. 

All around them, the jungle lived and breathed. It was about midday now, and the sun was high in the sky beyond the canopy of trees. Chel closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the sounds of the jungle in the air, the birds that called, the insects that chirped. 

“We’ve just received permission from the elders to begin our study, so I’ll need you to start recording in a few minutes. How much tape did we bring?” Her father asked.

“Enough for weeks of straight shooting, dad.” Chel said, holding the camera in its proper position over her shoulder. She had been trained in its use a year or two ago and was usually the one to fix it if it was damaged. 

“Good, hopefully we don't need that much, but you can never be too careful!” He turned to Nija, “Thank you, for all your help so far. Will you be staying with us?”

Nija shook her head, “I have my own research to get back to actually, but I’ll be dropping in form time to time during your stay, I actually have family here as you know…”

As the adults conversed, a group of other children Chel and Maava’s age could be seen beckoning to Maava. The native girl turned to Chel with a friendly look on her face, _“We are going to the river to swim, will you come?”_

Chel shook her head, knowing her father. They would be working well up until the sun set. _“I can't, my father won't be finished with his work.”_

The other girl shrugged, looking at her strangely, _“And you are not allowed to leave?”_

 _“I help him, he needs me.”_ Chel said, feeling a little sad when Maava nodded with understanding and ran off to join the others. 

“Chel, are you ready?” her father asked, looking to her for a moment, “We have to start by making a complete count of everyone in the village and…” He started rambling off the list of tasks they had to accomplish that day, enough things that they would definitely be busy for the rest of the afternoon. 

Chel tried not to sigh, she knew what she was here for and she was always happy to help her father. But...she looked to the direction of where Maava and the others had gone. Swimming had sounded nice. 

“Yes dad,” she said, following him and Nija as they started to walk back to the outskirts of the village, preparing the camera. 

Chel and her father spend nearly 3 months with the Asháninka people, studying them, learning their ways and culture. 3 months of work and endless anthropological study passed without incident. Everything proceeded as normal, Chel even managed to make a friend out of Maava and the other boys and girls her age. When her father wasn't pushing her to work with him, that is. But still, she found the time. And what was more, the jungle was full to bursting with things to do, things to see and learn and study. 

In 3 months, Chel found that she was actually enjoying herself, her father’s work became her work (as it usually did) and she fell deeper and deeper into the legends and lore that he was chasing. The Universal Singularities and their effects on the culture of humanity. 

However, in the fourth and final month of their study. Chel discovered something that would take her far, far away from her father and her life on Earth. She would never return to the planet or the parent she loved so much. 

**Fifteen years later**

**Planet K-27**

**Andorei**

**Now**

They had all been gathered, collected outside the campus that Xyra had come to love in the last six years. It was nearly unrecognizable now, smoking and in ruins as Chitauri speeders flew overhead. All around her, friends, colleges, and mentors that she had come to love and respect were gathered. It was right outside the main entrance to the national science campus, a collection of the greatest minds across Andorei and mere blocks away from the High Minister’s palace. 

Xyra scowled angrily at one of the Chitauri soldiers as it drew close to her and Dresslar but it paid them no heed. Everywhere she looked was ruin, horror, and death. Fellow scientists and visitors to the campus cowered in fear, clustered together on either side of the walkway. Every so often, one of the Chitauri would grab someone from either side and throw them to the other. Xyra hardly knew what was going on, but she had a sinking feeling that they would be finding out soon. 

At her side, she could feel the tremors that wracked her adoptive father’s frame. Even as he towered a foot over her, he was weaker, more feeble, age had taken its toll. He was no longer the giant she remembered, and even more so now. 

“He was supposed to be a myth! A monster hidden halfway across the galaxy!” she heard his grave whisper, equal parts horrified and shocked. 

“Apparently not,” she muttered under her breath, flinching at the screams of another woman as she was ripped from the arms of her bonded further down the line, “For all that we thought he was myth, Thanos is real.”

Above the din and chaos and confusion of it all, another voice rose. The Chitauri chittered amongst themselves, some of them moving back to the center of the walkway, Xyra watched one of them with narrowed eyes as it neared her. 

“The time has now come!” someone else was speaking, someone new, “ You, the chosen, will know an honor like no other! Hear me and rejoice, Andoreians, your salvation, and that of your planet, is nigh.” Xyra looked to the being that was speaking and grimaced anew. She was unsure of the species but knew that whatever he was, he was with Thanos. 

He was smaller than her, dressed in dark robes and boots. His face was scrunched strangely, as if having been sent through a steam roller, and he was missing a nose. Whatever he was, he moved as if giddy, pleased with the suffering of her people.

Xyra clenched her fists at her sides. How could this be salvation? When she and Drasslar had been running through the hallways of the campus, she had watched as half the roof collapsed on the southern anex, the screams audible even from where she was. There had been children there. How was this, salvation?!

She watched as the being prepared to speak again but was interrupted but the sound of a ship landing just nearby interrupted him. As the ship landed, Xyra watched as a massive being stepped out of it. He was bigger than Drasslar, far taller than she and walked with a confident stride. 

Her heart leapt into her throat as she watched him approach, for she knew that it had to be Thanos. 

Well armored in deep blue and gold, the purple skinned titian approached the being that had been preaching to them. 

“Maw.” His voice was deep, sending shivers down her spine with its coldness. 

“Master,” Maw bowed low, “Welcome to Andorei Prime. The work is ready to be carried out.” 

Xyra swallowed her terror, focusing instead on the ever burning need for knowledge that existed in the back of her mind. What work? What horrifying plan did Thanos have for Andorei?

Thanos and ‘Maw’ walked past the two rows of terrified Andorians, passing her and Dresslar without a thought. Xyra glared as strongly as she could at Thanos, rage bubbling up inside her. Who was he to do this to Andorei? They were a peaceful people, they had no enemies!

A Chitauri soldier must have seen the murderous look on her face because it approached her with an aggressive chitter, pointing its blaster at her threateningly. 

Xyra was uncowed. Perhaps it was her rage that made her brave, or her terror that made her strong. But, without regrets, she glared at the soldier and spat at its feet angrily. 

It took exception to that. 

Dresslar was the one to cry out as Xyra was pulled from his arms, yanked out of the line by the Chitauri soldier. 

Xyra, to her credit, struggled fiercely, yelling obscenities as she tried to pull herself free. She was no small woman after all, about the same height as the Chitauri trying to drag her away from the only family she had known since coming to Andorei Prime. 

The Chitauri guard chittered at her angrily and, raising its blaster with the opposite clawed hand, struck her in the head. Hard. 

Xyra went flying to the floor, her braids whipping around her head. Stars were swimming in her vision, Dresslar’s voice rang in her head. “Xyra!” he called, anguish painting his voice, “Xyra!”

But Xyra was not so easily defeated, near her hand was a chunk of rock, a piece of the pavement and with an angry growl she grabbed it. Before the Chitauri that had struck her could react, she swung the rock in her fist as hard as she could at its head. 

It connected with a heavy sounding clang and the Chitauri shook its head, dazed, before it rushed her. Xyra would have met it head on, far past caring about the little knowledge she had of combat. She would have fought her hardest had not two metal arms of another Chitauri wrapped around her midsection and tried to haul her off. Xyra snarled at being grabbed and tried to throw it off balance, kicking her feet and thrashing in the things arms. The rock fell from her hand as she tried to shake off its grip, the other Chitauri soldier rushing up to grab her flailing legs. 

Kicking with all her might, she caught it in the chin, throwing it off guard as she swore more obscenities. She was far too absorbed in trying to get free, in fighting the damn bastards that had some to her home, to ever have noticed that she was being watched. 

Xyra felt another suge of anger fill her and she prepared to strike again, nothing would stop her from getting back to Dresslar! Suddenly the two Chitauri who were struggling with her stopped. They dropped her flat on her ass and took a knee. 

Xyra, on her backside in the dirt, looked to her left and up, up, up. She found herself staring into the face of the Mad Titan himself. 


	2. The Promise

Xyra looked up into the face of the Mad Titan Thanos and felt her anger mix with fear and trepidation. From the ground, on her hands and knees, he towered over her; His shadow blacked out the sun. 

“And how long have you lived on Andorei, little Terran?” His voice was deep and smooth and fine like silk. One so large and imposing should not have been owner to a voice like that. 

Xyra didn't bother to hide her disdain as she slowly got to her feet. She had to lean back on her heels a bit to look into his eyes, but she did so. She refused to let him see her fear. She hated him, that much she knew.

“A long time, Titan.” she said, her voice cool...neutral.

The being he had referred to as ‘Maw’ appeared incensed. He spoke up from behind the Titan, “He is our Lord and Master, Thanos!” he said, “You will refer to Him as such-!”

Thanos, who had not taken his eyes from her, raised a hand, “See to the preparations.” he said, halting the Maw in his tracks. 

Xyra watched as the Maw glared at her, hatred sparking in his beady eyes. “Yes Master,” he said. His glare lasted only a second before the alien turned in an angry huff and started barking orders to the Chitauri forces. 

The Andoreians all around her whimpered and cowered in fear, a terrible harmony to the sound of fires and crumbling buildings and ships flying overhead. She narrowed her eyes at Thanos, suspicion warring with her simmering temper as he turned and beckoned her to follow. 

She knew that he wasn't offering her a choice, that he would possibly drag her by her hair if he had to. Shooting a regretful look at Dresslar, his expression of fearful concern searing itself into her mind, she dusted off her hands and walked with the Titan, his hand against the small of her back to guide her away. 

Xyra tried to keep the bile from her throat as she felt the heat of his palm against her back. Those hands were likely soaked in the blood of millions, not to count those of the innocent Andoreians that had died in the initial attack.

“Why are you doing this?” she asked, unprompted. What could possibly fuel a decision like this? They had no enemies, were a peaceful people, and had done nothing to aggravate their surrounding allies. And yet, all around her, and around the planet, was ash and blood and so much suffering it made her choke. “We were innocent people, totally harmless to you!”

There were, of course, rumors that swirled around the Mad Titan. Whispers of balance and order and the pleasure of the Mistress of Death. But they could not be true. It was impossible. 

“I only seek to balance an equation, little Terran.” Thanos said, “An equation that life itself seems helpless to solve.” 

“And this is your solution?” Xyra raised a brow, looking up at him, “all this…” she searched for a word, looking back and seeing the fearful faces of her colleagues, cowering away from Chitauri soldiers, “..chaos?”

Thanos cracked a wry smile at her, one that made her stomach curl with disgust, “What you see as chaos, little Terran, is simply a restoration of order. Of Balance. It will make sense soon.”

“What balance is that?”

The sound of blaster fire began then, sudden and terrible and explosively loud in the pavilion. Xyra’s eyes widened and she made to turn in that split second, but Thanos raised his hand to her shoulder, blocking her view and keeping her still. The screams of pain and terror were cacophonous, loud and shocking and terrible to hear.

“No!” she yelled, fighting against his hand to see what was happening to her friends, her loved one's, her family. But he would not move, she could have been fighting against iron for all the good it did her. She turned to Thanos with rage and wild accusations in her eyes, snarling “Murderer!”

The blaster fire continued as the Chitauri fired into one of the crowds, she did not know which. A group of good people had just died, good Andoreians whom she had loved, respected, grown up with. Some who had even raised her...

Dresslar…

Thanos was unbothered, looking down into her outraged eyes. 

“This was a science campus, a place for learning. So you must have known better than the rest. Your planet, Andorei, is dying. Overcrowded, Overpopulated. On the brink of starvation. Your poorest must have gone home to empty bellies every night.”

Xyra glared at him in response, “There is **NO** justification for this, Titian! No words you could possibly give to justify this! These were innocent people!” Her voice cracked with emotion and she tripped over her last words. Whether Andorei was overpopulated or not. It didn't matter, not to her. Yes, they were on track to exceed the sustainability model within the next few decades. But they had been working on a solution. They had it under control! For the Titan to come to their world, to decimate the population like this...

“You are a Monster.” she said it like a vow, a promise, a fact as she looked into his eyes, lip curled in disgust. She watched as the Titan sighed, his eyes closing. He lowered his hand and Xyra backed away from him, looking at him with pure loathing.

“Just kill me too then, Titian. Balance the equation.”

Thanos looked at her, through her, his gaze softening, “I’m sorry, little Terran.” he said. Xyra would remember this moment, his voice, the strange inflection of regret she found there.Something wasn't right about the way he spoke.

Xyra felt the heavy hands of two Chitauri at her arms. They each grabbed her, lifting her clear off her feet to drag her away from the Mad Titan. 

She didn't even fight it. Not as she began to pass the bodies of her colleagues. Not as she began to pass the bodies of recognized friends. It seemed that they had only killed those on the left side, leaving the right alive. That meant…

Xyra looked quickly to her right and met the dark eyes of her adoptive father. He looked terrified for her. Something was wrong. Why would they drag her away if they were just going to kill her? She looked over her shoulder, at the ship the Titan had arrived in, and began to fight. 

“Dresslar! No!” she yelled, reaching for him as the Chitauri dragged her away. 

Dresslar reached for her, momentarily forgetting his fear as he rushed forward- only to be held back by another one of the Chitauri. “Xyra!” he called, “Xyra! I- I’ll give Shimi and Wyren your love! Xyra!”

Shimi. Wyren. 

Her mother by all rights. Her younger brother in every sense of the word. They had adopted her into their family when she had first arrived here. And now, by way of a power mad monster, she was being taken away. 

For what purpose, she did not know.

“Dresslar!” she called again, her screams loud and outraged and desperate. The two Chitauri holding her began to struggle as she used her full strength, her full might. A third one rushed forward with its blaster, she could only glare at it for a moment before the weapon came rushing down into her face.

Her vision went starry and bright for a few moments, and, dazed, she was dragged away to the waiting ship. They threw her inside with all the gentleness of a sack of potatoes, the doors hissing shut behind them.

Xyra scrambled to the small window in the door the moment her vision righted. She slammed her palm against the glass, “Dresslar!” she called, “Dresslar!” Her hands curled into fists and they slammed against the clear barrier over and over again as the ship began to take off. 

Her vision misted as tears came to her eyes, tears of anger, tears of fear. Refusing to let them fall, she fought harder, beating against the glass as hard as she could, calling to her father. 

Dresslar looked as distressed as she felt, looking up at the sky helplessly as the transport ship took off and away from the surface of Andorei Prime. 

When she could see him no longer, Xyra fell back into the ship with a lost expression on her face. Sitting there, as the coldness of the atmosphere started to seep in, she turned her tumultuous thoughts to what had just occurred. Thanos, the Man Titan, murder of millions and killer of her own people, had just taken her against her will.

Why?

He wasn't going to kill her, he would have done that on Andorei if that had been his plan. Perhaps he was returning her to Terra? But that also didn’t make sense. Why would a homicidal warlord ever try to do her a favor? Her head hurt as she contemplated her fate in the silence of the flying ship. She was nothing, no one important, so why did Thanos even take her from Andorei?

Could it be her work? Her work on Andorei had mostly consisted of historical study and research as she had strived to find a way back to her father on Terra. But, the longer she had searched, the more that she found that it was impossible. 

It had been the remnants of energy from an Ancient Andoreian artifact that had transported her to the planet. But it did not work both ways, she had found that out nearly six years into her study of the artifact and had been inconsolable for a long time. The Andoreians were not a space faring race. They were more than aware of other species in the galaxy, but had never built ships of their own. 

So, she had been stuck there. Stuck on the beautiful blue pearl of a planet for fifteen years. 

Until now.

The ship jolted a little as it docked into a much larger vessel. Xyra grimaced and got to her feet within the craft, looking outside of the window at the door of it. From it, she could see the metal greys and blacks of a hangar, Chitauri soldiers and other aliens under the thumb of Thanos walking around. 

The door opened upwards with a soft hiss and she stepped out warily, ready to fight if she had to. Instead of a fight however, she was greeted by a group of three aliens. Two of them were Chitauri. The alien in front of them however, was not. 

“Welcome aboard _The Eternal_ , fair one.” it said, spreading its arms wide and giving a little bow, “My name is Jexil Faa, and I am to be your guide for the time being.”

Male, it seemed. He was much shorter than she was, with green skin and a pleased expression on his face. Xyra tried not to act too surprised, she had assumed that it was to be a holding cell for her. Not...whatever this was. But she was a scientist, capable of forming hypotheses and performing experiments to test them. And she was a historian, capable of making leaps of logic and rolling with surprises. 

She stepped closer to Jexil and his Chitauri escort, “I wasn't aware that Thanos would be sending me an escort.” she said. 

Jexil raised his brows fervently, “ Our Lord is wise and fair, his decisions most noble. Who are we to question them?”

The urge to roll her eyes was strong, very strong. But she resisted, wanting to milk as much information out of him as possible. 

Xyra smiled politely, a small withering thing that hardly made it to her eyes. “You will have to forgive my ignorance, Jexil. I only just arrived from the surface. And, all things considered, i believe i will need to be fully filled in on my...new role here.” 

She watched as the expression around his eyes tightened, the smile on his face freezing a little. So, he wasn't a complete fanatic. He knew that murder was murder at least, that the slaughter happening on Andorei was very real, and very, very wrong. 

Jexi gave a little cough, clearing his throat and putting back on the accommodating smile. “Of course, fair one. Please, come with me and I shall show you to your room during your stay here. Might I have the pleasure of knowing your name?”

Xyra considered it, there was no harm in offering her name...yet. By now, Thanos could have captured Dresslar as well and found out most everything about her. It was a terrifying thought, not for her, for Dresslar. Above all, she hoped he did what was necessary to stay safe, to be there for Shimi and Wyren. 

“My name is Xyra,” she said, following as he beckoned and walking at his side. As they walked deeper into the hanger, taking a right and walking through another set of doors, she spoke up again “I will admit, I assumed my stay would be far less comfortable than a room, Jexil. May I ask, why have I been afforded the luxury?”

Jexil chuckled, looking over at her with an indulgent smile, the Chitauri at their backs. “Our Lord is generous, Xyra. He has set out a wondrous future for you. Ah- if I might…” he leaned over and up to whisper to her, “I would like to offer my sincerest congratulations to you for your good fortune.”

Whatever fortune that was was lost on Xyra. But Jexil must have taken her silence as some sort of embarrassment of one form or another because he backpedaled quickly. “That is to say, it is not often that Lord Thanos chooses so quickly, one after another. And to find a Terran, well that is lucky indeed. Our Master is most fortunate as well, his discernment belays a very gifted eye.”

Xyra hmmed along to his words, nodding, “I see, and he has been looking for someone from Terra for some time?”

“Oh yes, ever since Itheria, I believe. There are a few Terrans there, but none that caught our Lord’s most esteemed eye. You must truly be special to have been selected so soon, he only just made planetfall afterall, it shall be some hours before we are to leave for Sanctuary.”

Xyra absorbed all the new information like a sponge. She had a sinking feeling that whatever it was that she had been selected for, was not something she needed or wanted. And what exactly was Sanctuary? 

Jexil took her through the ship at a modest pace. They walked for a few minutes before coming to some sort of lift, which they took to another section of the ship.

“This is the section of _The Eternal_ where we house our visiting emissaries and certain high ranking officers. Your room shall be one of these.” he said, prattling on further about the generosity of Thanos. 

His adoration, bordering on piety, made her want to throw up. 

He stopped in front of one of the many doors along the metal and chrome hallway and imputed a code into the side panel.. “This shall be your room, dear Xyra.”

The doors swished open and he stepped aside, lifting an arm to gesture her in. He followed her when she entered, the Chitauri guards stepping to either side to guard the doors. 

The room was immaculate, boasting a small living space as well as a bedroom. There was a sizable bed to one corner, with rich blue sheets and pillows. There was a set of drawers built into the wall to the right of the bed and a desk and chair was set up to the right of that, a place to write correspondence on the built in data pad. There was a large screen on the opposite side of the room, she supposed it was for all manner of entertainment, messages, and calling. There was a table and chairs as well, perhaps a place to sit and eat, though she saw no food preparing stations in the room. There was another door as well, one that she guessed led to some sort of facilities. 

The most stunning part of the room however was the massive, floor to ceiling window that overlooked the planet below. Xyra swallowed thickly as she took in the sight of Andorei from space, its beautiful surface now invaded by the very being that had killed her people, taken her hostage and given her the room in which she stood. 

Jexil once again mistook her silence for something that it was not and clasped his four-fingered hands together.

“Truly, Lord Thanos is without equal in terms of generosity and taste. Your meals will be brought to you here, of course. And all room commands can be accessed from either the desk or the screen. I know you shall enjoy your stay here.” he cheered, prattling on, “ It is only two weeks worth of travel before we arrive at Sanctuary. Then, his harem awaits!”

All the thoughts in Xyra’s head came crashing to a halt. She turned to Jexil so fast that she was sure the green-skinned man flinched. She opened her mouth once, twice, no sound came out. It was clear from the halting look on his face that he was aware that he had said too much. 

Xyra gave a disbelieving huff, almost a chuckle as she replayed his words in her head.

“Jexil,” she started, “Please be very clear in the words you are speaking to me.” Her voice was grave, low and angry and quite disbelieving, “His...what?”

Jexil laughed nervously, taking a quick step back when she took a step towards him. “His Harem, L-lady Xyra. I was under the impression that you were...aware.”

Xyra felt the flashes of her temper, hot and raw. That was the first reaction. The second was a wave of nausea so strong it made her take a step back, grimacing in disgust This was to be her role? Of all the possible outcomes in the galaxy.... This was...base and vile and...and…

She turned to her left and bolted towards the facilities. Stumbling towards the toilet, she fell to her knees and brought up the contents of her stomach. She was still dry heaving when she heard Jexil’s voice near the door to the smaller room. 

“L-Lady Xyra?” he called nervously, tapping on the door.

“Get! Out!” she raged, her voice loud and bellowing as her hands clenched into fists on either side of the toilet. She turned her head a fraction on an inch, her eyes finding the little man peering into the room. She shot him her darkest glare. 

“Ah! W-well I shall, return later to check on you, of-- of course!” He said quickly,”D-do enjoy the room!” he called as he made a frightened exit.

The sounds of his fleeting footsteps were hardly a comfort however and Xyra coughed up a bit of bile, spitting it into the toilet. She grimaced as the thing auto flushed, standing to wash out her mouth. 

The water ran warm as she rinsed away the gross after taste of her breakfast from that morning. However it didn’t inspire nearly as much disgust in her as the thought of being part of Thanos’ Harem. Really, Jaxil couldn't have been serious! She wasn't even aware that Thanos kept a Harem, that- somehow- was not included in the rumors. 

The thought of that murdering monster taking pleasure from anything other than death and destruction was deeply unsettling, and the fact that he apparently wanted to take it from her was deeply disgusting. 

She would never submit to it. 

Xyra exited the little bathroom she had been afforded with a loud huff. Outraged was what she should have been, at least more than she was. Currently, her rage simmered on low beneath her skin, far below the general repulsion she felt at the thought of belonging to Thanos’ Harem. 

She was not too disturbed by her lack of anger. She had a temper, that much was true, but years of hard work and control had taught her that giving into it did her no good. She needed a cool head if she was to free herself from this nightmare.

Outright escape was impossible at the moment, too many guards and- she walked over to the door, testing it. Yes it was locked, tightly. Xyra wandered over to the bed and sat, exhaling heavily. She wasn't one to give up, never had been, but this was a new situation- one she never could have imagined. 

She didn't know how long she had been sitting there, looking out of the window at the burning surface below. Her attention was pulled from her musings when the doors to her room swished open again and a new face walked in. 

It was a female this time, with pretty red skin and green eyes. As she came in, tray in her hands, she looked up at Xyra and smiled widely. “Hello, Lady Xyra! My name is Chala, I’ll be taking care of any personal needs you might be having at this time!” her voice was overly polite, Xyra decided, far too chipper and happy for someone that worked for Thanos’ army. She was also short, though not as short as Jexil, her head only coming up to Xyra’s shoulders. 

Chala set the tray down on the desk and stepped deeper into the room “It’s so nice to meet you! I’ll admit I haven't heard much about you, but the whole ship is abuzz with the news!”

Xyra tilted her head quizzically, getting up from the bed and making her way over, “-that I’ve been ‘chosen’?” she guessed, managing to keep most of the sarcastic bite from her voice. 

The smaller alien beamed and nodded, “Oh yes! Its such a happy occasion! Lord Thanos is so lucky,” she giggled, leaning in and whispering conspiratorially, “You really are very pretty!”

How on earth anyone on this ship functioned with that much delusion swimming between their ears, she did not know. But it would be in her best interest to play along for now, get more information to aid in her plotting. 

She picked up the tray, examining its contents. Various globs of colored goo stared back at her, along with a sad looking piece of fruit she didn't recognize. Her distaste must have been obvious, because Chala spoke up immediately. 

“Don't worry, the food is much better on Sanctuary! Between you and me, it kinda sucks on The Eternal.” she giggled, “You should see the foods that Ladies like yourself get to eat! Oh right, you will!” 

The urge to upchuck again was strong. But she resisted it in favor of asking Chala questions. “You said the whole ship was abuzz,” she said, taking the tray over to the table, “How did everyone find out so fast?”

Chala grinned, taking a seat at the table after Xyra, “It’s not often that Lord Thanos sends someone back to the ship. Especially so soon after planetfall! Once we heard to expect a guest, oh we just knew! And this whole place is a gossip machine! You would not believe how boring open space gets after a few days!”

Xyra looked down at the food before her, wondering if Thanos would have sent the bright girl to throw her off as he poisoned her. While unlikely, she wouldn't have put it past him. 

“Its not that bad,” Chala said, giggling again when Xyra stuck a bit of it in her mouth and made a face, “Okay so its not that good either. But soon you would even have to worry about space food!”

“What is Sanctuary?” Xyra asked, trying another bite of a different colored glob. It was a little better. 

“Its the main operating base, our home base actually! But its so much more than that!” Chala’s expression turned dreamy, “Its everything…”

That had been terribly unhelpful, but Xyra was nothing if not persistent. “And Jexil said it would take two weeks to get there?” she hedged.

Chala nodded, “Yep, we’re about two weeks of travel away from Chitauri Prime. But don't worry, the time will fly by! And I’ll be visiting you! Oh, and Jexil as well, since he’s your official escort.”

“And what are you?”Xyra looked to her, raising a brow.

“You can just consider me a friend!” she chirped, patting Xyra’s unoccupied hand. 

The rest of her meal was occupied by mostly silence on her end and an inordinate amount of chattering by Chala. Xyra tried not to make too many negative expressions, relying on the inflections of her voice and little additions here and there to keep her talking. 

By the time the tray was empty, she was exhausted, her brain filled to the brim with information. Chala collected the tray with another bright smile, leaning over and giving her a one armed hug. Xyra tried not to be too put off by the contact, she needed to maintain the connection after all. But, as Chala wished her well and departed the room with promises to visit again with her next meal, she knew that it wasn't going to be a problem. 

Looking around the room, Xyra approached the window. Andorei was still burning, little pockets of smoke rising up from its major cities. She placed a palm on the glass, her eyes filling with unshed tears. 

“I will get back to you.” her voice was grave, “I _will_ get back to you.”

And, as the ships of Thanos’ armada started their withdrawal, Xyra swore it to herself. On Dresslar, on Shimi, on Wyren, and on her father- the one she had left behind on Terra so long ago. 

She would return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Well, welcome to Count The Stars! Updates are weekly and fueled by Kudos and Comments. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the story.


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